The X Factor Top 9 Performance Night: Follow Along With Our Pithy Live Blog!

There’s no denying the awesomeness of Thanksgiving — in fact, I just had a brief food fantasy about the whoosh of a can-opener breaking into a tangy container of processed cranberry sauce — but I’m a little more dubious about “Giving Thanks” as a theme night on The X Factor. I’ll say this: If it involves any of the Top 9 acts covering “I Believe I Can Fly,” “The Greatest Love of All,” or “Jesus Take the Wheel,” I’m going to start drinking this Sauvignon Blanc straight from the bottle.

If that’s anywhere close to how you’re approaching this week’s performance-night telecast, then please consider this live blog post as your pithy, mildly inebriated viewing companion.

As the episode rolls on, I’ll update you on who’s performed what and offer my opinions of said performances in 10 words or less. So keep refreshing the page for all the good, the bad, and the inevitable cover of Mariah Carey’s “Hero.” (Prove me wrong, mentors!)

Wow, I really thought they’d at least make sing-off after being at least three from bottom last week and the astro blow up and some others having much worse pitch problems, Lakoda had a few, but not as nastily as a few others. I think the judges would’ve saved them too for sure unless they went against Josh, Drew or Melanie and I didn’t expect them to be against those three.

One interesting thing is they actually seem to always get a lot less votes when they do a country song, which seems the opposite of Idol where country crowd votes like mad for any hint of country.

I guess they survived longer than most of the hot girls do on these shows, not that that says much hah, since they tend to have zero life expectancy on these shows regardless of any other factor. Haley made it farther, but she was soooo far and away better than anyone else on the show.

Wow looks like astro voters went mad with the dialing in afraid he was doomed. Simon looked almost a little annoyed when astro was announced going through or maybe just bemused by how he turned so far away from certain doom?

Marcus did have some rough notes there so not at all shocked he is bottom three.

This show definitely votes differently than Idol in some ways, not that that is necessarily a bad thing.

Anyway the rest are ok, a few pretty good, but nobody other than Drew, providing she doesn’t ultimately become boring, is really all that special necessarily so I think I may tune out for a weeks and see if she is still in, got other stuff to catch up on.

I agree with you, except I think Josh is a little more unique compared to Drew on the reality performance show stage. Drew reminds me a lot of Didi Benami, The Cranberries, Jewel, etc. It’s just an area of music not covered by most of the crapola big stations. I do like her as well (being a fan of The Cranberries and Jewel, who has a bit more twang admittedly) but she already has gotten boring. Her rock performance night.. it needed a tempo change desperately. Last night, that came too late, but was an improvement. As long as simon doesn’t dump Katy Perry crap or what have you on her, cool beans

Well, at first I was going to say, “What were the judges smoking about Rachel’s performance?” And then I realized the fact that they just showed a clip telling the world about how the 13 year old was a crackbaby and she’s singing a song for her family and that deal, so that probably would have been a bad move :b

I stopped watching after the Judges’ Houses part, but I’ve read some recaps here and there. If this is a double elimination week, then I see Lakoda going as it might take some of the embarrassment off of Paula for having her category completely toasted this early. As I’ve said from the start, it should be Josh and Melanie in the Final 2 with Josh winning. Anyone other than Josh winning would be a huge let down for this series which, at least for me, already has been a huge let down (which is why I stopped watching it.)

Suggested improvements for next season: Get rid of the crappy auditions. Leave that to Idol. The Voice skipped over those completely and basically started at The Judges’ House stage (in terms of number of people and quality of talent.) X Factor should slit the difference and start at the “bootcamp” round. Replace Steve Jones with Carson Kressley. Replace Nicole with Shania Twain. Eliminate the Group category and split the Over 30 into Over 30 Females and Over 30 Males.

Oh, there you all are. Yes, it would have been tacky to criticize Rachel’s performance.
I’ve been watching “The Sing-Off”. I can not believe that program isn’t more popular. Some of those performances are SO darned good!

I think she is pretty good but I sometimes I wonder if Jazzlyn Little wasn’t even better and might not have been more interesting in the end. Rachel is amazing for a 13 year old but still I don’t know woulda rather had Jazzlyn there instead.

Agreed. Jazzlyn was and still is my favorite. In fact, many of the judges houses cuts were actually the best & most interesting singers of the competition – james, elaine, caitlyn, jazzlyn, the former child star (i forget her name) – with very current voices and possible stars (maybe not rihanna/gaga level stars but with very promising careers nonetheless). Melanie needs to sing some Jazzlyn-esque songs and she’ll have this in the bag.

I reaaally wish Chrysta was picked over Dexter (the former child star) — I honestly can’t see why he was picked. He was a sweet guy, his old band was popular in Kentucky, but.. I kissed a girl and I liked it? really? As much of a death sentence as Phlomax’s song. But yea, I agree, the judges’ houses were better. Likely that they got prettied up in the studio or something, though.

Whelp, I’m not one for religious-y/church-y songs, BUT, this is the first time I actually really dug Melanie. And the way she just started being so emotional was really nice. Never knew she had an accent to be honest, it was nice to hear that too. I agree with Paula, the choir was a little too much.

okay, I was thinking Lakoda Rayne picked a silly song – they needed to pick a “group” song that enabled them to do some tight harmonies and sound like a group. they sounded like four girls singing and I don’t get all the love from the judges.

I think they take turns throwing it off and *&*&&%$?+!! where is the remote??????? I would rather be thrown off a cliff than listen to that awful Sarah McLachlan song. Thank goodness it’s over!!!!!! WTH is wrong with Leroy singing that terrible song????

I don’t think LA dislikes LeRoy. I think he is jealous of him. The man can sing, he is in good shape for being 60, and he seems to be a real class act.
LA, on the other hand, has foisted questionably talented acts/singers on a very gullible, musically uneducated American public. He has made a fortune, yet seems to have very little knowledge of his supposed field of expertise – music. (Who is R.E.M?) He will never be in the same league as someone like Leonard Bernstein or Max Roach.

“R.E.M. is not rock” -> LA was in space during the 80s/90s
“Let’s see Drew do hip-hop” LA does not know who Nelly is
“Song for 40 year olds” LA stopped watching Disney after Justin Bieber
So, besides Rhianna and Justin Bieber, what does LA know about music anymore..?

Oh, and let’s not forget rock night with Astro. Instead of giving him a Puff Daddy song merely sampling The Police, he completely glanced over rock groups that rap; Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, Beck (if you remember Loser) — I have no idea what *any* of the judges were thinking that night, though.

Paula, I’m not a “hater” and I’m certainly not “perfect” but I want whatever is in your cup tonight, because Astro just makes me gag. There’s only room for one Kanye and no L.A he did not humble himself, I didn’t hear the words “I’m Sorry” not once and you and the producers talking him into an apology to win over some voters didn’t win me over. Hopefully, America is smart and I can see Astro in the bottom 3 and hopefully going home but I think Lakoda Rayne sealed that tonight.

Yeah. Agree. After seeing his mom I was enraged. I teach middle school in an urbam setting. And the students thay have a lack of respect are the same ones who have parents who make exuces for them. Astro is the same. And dont give me this hard upbringing. Look marcus….. Hard upbring but has a solid mother who taught him.right

I thought the same thing when I saw his mom make excuses for him. He is too old to not realize he is being disrespectful. He just looks angry and entitled in his own mind. He needs to go home, grow up and then show what he has to offer. I did not get the impression the audience really forgave & forgot.

Dude. I HATE when judges on these competitions knock song choices during INSPIRATION week. /Especially/ when the judge shows just how little they know about music. 40 year old’s song? LOL. Isn’t Demi Lebotomy from Disney channel or Nickelodeon? Oh man. Priceless

The highlight of the show for me: when Steve Jones rolled his eyes, shook his head and said, “Thanksgiving!” in an effort to end the Simon/LA pissing contest after Drew’s performance.
It was the first sign of actual human emotion I’ve seen from Steve-bot all season.

I am sorry, but LA’s hate of Drew is getting stupid at this point. The girl can sing period. She is 15 years old singing the song by a young artist. He needs to spend more time with Astro and teach him to sing…newsflash LA…this is a SINGING competition.

Sad to say, but it’s an all too common reaction for men, when feeling threatened, to act arrogant instead of humble and contrite. Drew vs. Astro: who without suffering a reduction in grey matter volume would choose LA’s pet?

well, from what i got of Josh’s snippet thingum, he would sing that to his daughter often as she was growing up — so I guess that’s why it’s special to him; then we have Leroy’s song.. well, I’m guessing either his mother liked it, or Nicole thought angel + passed away mother = match — I know you don’t like Angel, LOL. But I can dig it, I thought he did great, as well as Josh. I mean… I don’t even remember what Rachel, Marcus, Astro were like tonight for the most part. To be fair I took a bathroom break during Astro. Simon hasn’t pulled his self indulgent comment yet so hey ;)